Weedmaps
Transform the app from dispensary listings to an indispensable marketplace
Platforms: iOS app, DRD app, Web
Role: Product Design Manager
Reports: Sr. Product Designers, Product Designers, Sr. UX Researcher
Year: 2022-2023
THE CHALLENGE
Founded in 2008, Weedmaps had established itself as the online cannabis destination as well as a Top 10 health app in the App Store. However Weedmaps was in an identity crisis: the business was based on dispensary listings, but as discovered in extensive UX research, users expected a recognizable ecommerce experience where they could hunt across dispensaries for deals. Leading with design thinking, how might we reimagine Weedmaps as a shoppable marketplace that saves consumers the most money?
A COMPLEX LANDSCAPE
Even for professionals, cannabis is complex: certain states are recreationally legalized, others may only allow medicinal use, while some outlaw it completely. There's new product types launching every year. Each strain may cause certain effects in different people. It's no wonder that consumers are confused as well. How do we make a complex landscape simple?
Analyzing existing UX research, conducting 40 moderated user studies, and a survey of 2,000 participants, we created five personas with an emphasis on differentiating attributes and overlapping cannabis goals. Most strikingly, new consumers faced numerous challenges using our existing product and needed cannabis education baked into every step of the shopping experience, rather than a standalone resource.
LEADING THROUGH COLLABORATION
To embark on this massive project, I created a detailed project plan with flexibility to pivot as we learned new insights from user testing. I worked closely across departments and into executive leadership to make sure all parties were aligned on the goals and timeline.
I established a more modern, approachable UI style that supported new consumers learning about cannabis while not getting in the way of established users looking for the best deal on their favorite product. After setting the design style, assigned product designers took their own approach to key flows that I identified.
With research baked into the design process, we completed 3 sprints of 10 moderated usability sessions. With the following insights, we iterated on our approach and retested updated designs each step of the way.
Explain Weedmaps up front: Consumers need more information on Weedmaps’ offerings, especially those related to their interests
Quizzes that lead, not limit: Consumers want to hone in on products they want, but do not want to limit their awareness
Education and elevation: Consumers want to learn about cannabis while shopping for products without jumping to a new surface
A SHARED DESIGN SYSTEM
UI patterns should not be created in a vacuum. Using our tested iterations, we extracted design elements and components into a living design system. It is spearheaded by the Sr. Product Designer, co-owned by the team and reviewed regularly by me as their manager. Design systems save the team time by codifying design decisions and improve the customer experience by ensuring consistency and accessibility.
RESULTS
Design thinking can feel uncomfortable to executives who are not used to testing ideas. Often executives may want to converge on a solution quickly before testing, especially when it is visualized pixel perfect. That's why it's crucial to have strong leadership like I displayed to walk our stakeholders through the process of ideation and testing that no doubt led us to success.
While the effort to modernize a complex product is ongoing, since introducing the reimagined Weedmaps, we've seen an increase in user retention, higher order volume and even a rise in our stock price! Additionally, through design thinking, our teams collaborate more effectively now with an emphasis on data and insights rather than opinion. You might say this project really hit the high mark!
BOBBY FEINGOLD
Product designer and manager with over 10 years experience working for Disney, Live Nation, and more Fortune 400 companies